Former Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback said he intends to run for president.
Fishback lost the Florida GOP gubernatorial primary to Trump-endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL).
“Last night, someone asked me ‘What do you plan on doing next?’ I told them the truth. I’m running for president,” Fishback said.
“I’m only kidding,” Fishback said in a video he shared on X.
“My wife and I will soon visit Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina to hold public TownHalls. Soon after I will announce my final decision,” Fishback told
The Hill.
Watch below:
Last night, someone asked me “What do you plan on doing next?”
I told them the truth.
I’m running for president.
pic.twitter.com/yRdxr9KdS2
— James Fishback (@jamesfishback)
October 28, 2026
The Hill shared further:
Questions have been raised about Fishback’s eligibility to run for office. Newsmax reported he was born Jan. 1, 1995, making him 34 on Inauguration Day in 2029. The U.S. Constitution requires a president to be at least 35.
The Florida Republican lost his gubernatorial bid to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who is running against Obama-endorsed Democratic nominee David Jolly in the upcoming elections. Fishback finished third in the Republican primary.
Recently, Fishback said he and his wife were stopped from entering a Republican rally in Clearwater, Fla. Local news reports said the rally was hosted by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and listed Donalds and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-Fla.) as special guests.
Earlier this year, Fishback said his campaign was banned from Waffle House restaurants across Florida, after he announced in January that he planned to visit every Waffle House in the state to connect with voters over “hot coffee and warm waffles.” He has previously been criticized for alleged inappropriate behavior while on the campaign trail.
Fishback, 31, had about 10 percent of the vote in the August 18 primary.
Recently, Fishback issued an apology for claiming Donalds and Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) were under federal investigation.
“I am writing this without consulting my lawyer because it is the right thing to do, regardless of the legal implications. In early August, I made a terrible mistake by claiming that Byron Donalds and Cory Mills were under federal investigation. I received this information from someone I trusted, but I accept the DOJ’s public statement that neither man is under investigation, which means that I bore false witness,” Fishback explained.
“As a Catholic, I take the Ten Commandments seriously. After speaking with my priest and going to confession, I have a moral obligation to publicly retract my statement and apologize. I apologize to Byron, Cory, and their families for what I said. To be clear, neither man nor their lawyers asked me to write this, and neither has ever contacted me about it. I sinned against my fellow man, and I am sorry. I ask God for forgiveness and pray that I can make amends,” he continued.
I am writing this without consulting my lawyer because it is the right thing to do, regardless of the legal implications. In early August, I made a terrible mistake by claiming that Byron Donalds and Cory Mills were under federal investigation. I received this information from…
— James Fishback (@jamesfishback)
October 28, 2026
Newsmax noted:
He ran on a hard-right platform that included ending the use of H-1B visas, canceling artificial intelligence data centers, abolishing property taxes, and blocking large investment firms such as Blackstone from buying homes. He also cast himself as the candidate best positioned to preserve DeSantis’ legacy, though DeSantis did not endorse him.
Fishback drew attention throughout the race for provocative statements and campaign tactics. They included calling rival Rep. Byron Donalds, who had President Donald Trump’s endorsement, “a slave” to donors and joining the dating app Tinder to court young female voters.
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“I’m Running For President,” Former Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Says appeared first on
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